Inspiration Report

In a movie that came out not too long ago, a 40-something woman reads a storybook to her friend’s daughter. As they approach the last page, she read, “‘… and Cinderella and the prince lived happily ever after.’” She closes the book and looks at the young girl, adding, “You know, things don’t always happen like this in real life. I just think you should know that now.”

We were all raised on fairy tales with glass slippers, valiant princes and (best of all) magic! It didn’t take too long to realize that stories like that aren’t necessarily true. After a few misfortunes, you learned that glass slippers are really uncomfortable, no prince is perfect and magic doesn’t always work when you need it to.

So what do you do when the way you planned things is not the way they turned out?

Know that parts of your fairy tale have already been written, and sadly, there’s not a whole lot you can do about those first few chapters. You didn’t get the best start. Your trust was unexpectedly betrayed. You didn’t get the job. Whatever falls and failures that happened in your past are just that… in your past. There’s still more to the story.

While your life has a lot of contributors, you are the editor-in-chief. You take what’s there and create the masterpiece. All the good pages and the bad can come together to make a beautiful adventure.

When you find yourself wishing your life was more like the fairy tales, remember that in some ways it already is. There will be dragons, wicked witches, great romances, winding roads and friends to help you along the way. So, keep rewriting your story every day that you’re alive. Whether it’s a comedy, tragedy or a little of both, the pen is in your hand. How it all ends is up to you.

I’m going to let this video speak for itself. Never give up. Just don’t.

Learn more about Arthur at Team DDP.

Today’s guest blog comes from Marney K. Makridakis, author of Creating Time. She founded the Artella online community for creators of all kinds and the print magazine Artella. A popular speaker and workshop leader, she created the ARTbundance approach of self-discovery through art. She lives in Dallas, Texas. Visit her online at www.artellaland.com.

One of the most prevalent comments I’ve heard about time is the idea that we need to “balance our time” to live a more “balanced” life. I think the concept of balance is, sadly, often misunderstood. We often feel that if we are focused and disciplined, upbeat and positive, loving and generous, healthy and energetic…then we will be “balanced people.” And if the pie chart of our daily life has just the right ratios of work, life, family, health, spirituality, and service, then our time will be “balanced.”

The problem with striving for balance is that most people’s understanding of this state swerves away from what balance actually is! Balance is not about walking around with a bunch of “positive,” happy qualities; it’s about walking the tightrope between the poles within us and the circumstances outside of us. True balance, ironically, means that we accept the parts of ourselves that can be pretty lopsided. Balance means we can embrace and love the most topsy-turvy parts because they offer gifts for full, authentic living.

Even though we measure time in a linear way, time is and always will be asymmetrical. One moment is not like another, just as each day is different and each tide that rolls in is different from the next. This is why it is impossible to “balance our time” by some objective pie-chart formula in a time management book. Exploring nonlinear, asymmetrical time allows us to move in tandem with an inherently lopsided time and thus regain our relative balance. If we stop constantly measuring ourselves against the standards of linear time, we can accept ourselves more fully. New possibilities emerge as we tango with tenacity and disco with uncertainty.

Based on the book Creating Time: Using Creativity to Reinvent the Clock and Reclaim Your Life ©2012 by Marney Makridakis. Published with permission of New World Library www.newworldlibrary.com

Can you tell I’ve been on a TedTalk kick lately? I love these mini-lectures. So full of wisdom…

This one by Jane Fonda is particularly insightful. As you age, know that the third act of your life can be the best. You can right wrongs. Change your mind and change your course. It’s never too late. In fact, you’re right on time to be everything you ever wanted to be. Enjoy.